How To Make A Maple Leaf Quilt Pattern Step-by-step.

Today, I’m super excited to kick off a project that’s near and dear to my heart—the Maple Leaf Quilt Block, a timeless favorite in fall quilting.

This post is part 1 of 3 of a series in which we will be making a beautiful fall throw quilt together!! 

I am very excited to share this project with you, my sewing friends, and my community, and I can’t wait to see your version. 

So, if you are as ready and as excited as I am… Let’s do this!

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The Maple and Vine Quilt

The Maple Leaf Block design has been popular for ages because it beautifully captures the essence of fall as no other!

Leaves, especially maple leaves, were easily recognizable symbols of the changing seasons, making them perfect symbols of home, family, and fall traditions.

And today you are going to learn how to make it!!

But here’s the best part—this is just the beginning! Throughout this series, we’re working together on a stunning fall throw quilt that you can cozy up with all season long. 

I’ll be walking you through each part step by step, so be sure to stick around for all the fun and tutorials. And if you’re part of our Golden Thimble community, you know this is going to be a collaborative and creative journey!

How to sew the maple leaf quilt pattern. Step-by-step tutorial

We will learn how to make the maple leaf block in this first part of the series. We will need eight maple blocks measuring 6” x 6” for our throw quilt blanket, and here is how we will make them. 

Materials You’ll Need

Before we get started with our Maple Leaf block, let’s make sure you’ve got everything you need. Here’s what you’ll want to gather:

• Fall-themed Fat Quarters (these are the ones I am using)
• Background fabric (neutral shades like cream or white will make those leaf colors pop!)
• Rotary cutter and cutting mat
• Quilting ruler (I am using this set)
• Sewing machine or needle and thread if you’re feeling the hand-stitching love
• Thread in a coordinating color (I love a good neutral white thread for piecing)
• Iron and pressing mat for crisp seams
• Quilting pins or clips to keep everything in place
• And, of course, a measuring tape (because quilting = math, right?)

Cut your fabrics.

All righty, let’s start by cutting our fabric squares. For each maple leaf block, we will need the following:

• Three (3) 2 1/2″ squares of orange fabric (this will form part of the leaf)
• Two (2) 3″ squares of white fabric (these are for your half-square triangles, which we’ll cover soon!)
• Two (2) 3″ squares of orange fabric (also for those half-square triangles)
• One (1) 2 1/2″ square of white fabric (this will balance out your block)
• One (1) 4 1/2″ by 1 1/4″ orange rectangle (this is going to be your leaf stem!)

Be sure to cut carefully and double-check your measurements before moving on. It’s always better to measure twice and cut once—trust me; I’ve learned that lesson more than once!

Making the Half-Square Triangles (AKA the Leaf Points)

Next up, we’re going to create the points of our maple leaf using half-square triangles. Don’t worry—it’s easier than it sounds!

Take your 3″ x 3″ orange and white squares and place them right sides together. Make sure the edges line up nicely.

Using your favorite marking tool, draw a line diagonally from one corner to the opposite corner. This is our guide for sewing.

Sew a 1/4″ seam on both sides of that diagonal line. Easy peasy, right?

Repeat this process with your second pair of 3″ x 3″ orange and white squares.

Once you’ve sewn them, grab your rotary cutter and cut right along that diagonal line (right in the middle). Press those seams open, and voilà! You’ll have four lovely half-square triangles ready to be the points of your maple leaf.

Sewing the Leaf Stem

Now it’s time to create the adorable stem for our maple leaf! Grab one of those 2 1/2″ white squares, and let’s get started:

First, cut that white square diagonally in half to create two triangles.

Take one of the triangles and position the 1 ¼” orange rectangle so that its diagonal edges are aligned right in the middle of the triangle. Make sure everything looks nice and neat!

Sew along that edge with a 1/4″ seam. Then, take the other half of the triangle and do the same thing—align it with the other side of the orange rectangle and sew.

Press those seams toward the orange rectangle so it lays nice and flat.

Finally, grab your quilt ruler and trim the whole thing down to a 2 1/2″ square. You’re doing fantastic! This little stem is going to look so cute with your leaf.

Building the Maple Leaf Block

Now for the fun part—let’s put our Maple Leaf block together! Follow this visual diagram to guide you as we assemble everything, and remember to use a 1/4″ seam allowance for all your sewing. Please pay attention to the direction in which you press the seams because we are going to be nesting the seams.

Start with the first row. Once you’ve sewn it together, press the seam allowances toward the center square. This will help everything lay flat and look neat.

Next, move on to the second row. After sewing those pieces, press the seam allowances toward the outside squares. 

Finally, tackle the third row and press those seams toward the center square as well.

Once all three rows are ready, it’s time to sew them together! Match the seams of each row with the next, making sure they align perfectly in the middle. You can use pins to keep everything in place, or if you’re feeling fancy, make a stay stitch to hold it all together.

Sew along the edges with a 1/4″ seam, and when you’re done, press the seams toward the center row. 

Wrapping Up Part 1 of 3!

Congratulations on creating your beautiful Maple Leaf block! 🍁 Now, for our fall throw quilt project, you’ll want to make eight of these blocks in total to really bring that cozy autumn vibe to life.

Make sure to stay tuned for next week’s tutorial, where we’ll dive into our next block design! I can’t wait to see what you all create. As a community, let’s support each other in building this amazing project. Share your progress, ask questions, and show off your beautiful blocks in our group, My Golden Thimble Sewing Club.

If you’ve requested access to the group and haven’t been accepted yet, just send a direct message to My Golden Thimble’s official Facebook page—we want everyone to join in on the fun!

Happy sewing, and see you next week!